Comments on: Naming Your Freelancing Business - To Personalize or Not? (…with a Poll) http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/ Freelance Advice and Freelance Jobs - FreelanceSwitch Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:11:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Monica http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-30955 Monica Fri, 28 Nov 2008 05:02:46 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-30955 Interesting ideas. What it made me think of was 'Martha Stewart' - lol. Not exactly a freelancer, but an example, (along with many other individuals well-known in their respective fields), of using one's personal name to succeed. Personally I like to be associated with my name. However, I'm also considering an 'umbrella' term to encompass my various interests/pursuits in work - writing, fashion, music, art, and webdesign, to name a few. :D I think it may depend on whether you want your work to be associated with YOU or with a brand/label that you're a part of - along with the choice between working alone vs. developing to be part of a team... and so forth. Interesting ideas. What it made me think of was ‘Martha Stewart’ - lol. Not exactly a freelancer, but an example, (along with many other individuals well-known in their respective fields), of using one’s personal name to succeed.

Personally I like to be associated with my name. However, I’m also considering an ‘umbrella’ term to encompass my various interests/pursuits in work - writing, fashion, music, art, and webdesign, to name a few. :D

I think it may depend on whether you want your work to be associated with YOU or with a brand/label that you’re a part of - along with the choice between working alone vs. developing to be part of a team… and so forth.

]]> By: scott mcclelland http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-30870 scott mcclelland Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:17:40 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-30870 stmjr i used my initials S.T.M+junior, since i am a Jr. stmjr
i used my initials S.T.M+junior, since i am a Jr.

]]> By: David Henderson http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-29611 David Henderson Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:47:06 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-29611 I called my self David Henderson Design, although I often refer to myself as DHD. I called my self David Henderson Design, although I often refer to myself as DHD.

]]> By: vishal katral http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-22459 vishal katral Tue, 20 May 2008 07:13:39 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-22459 I used my name first name VISHAL as vishalwebdesign. I used my name first name VISHAL as vishalwebdesign.

]]> By: Harry http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-20923 Harry Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:21:46 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-20923 Mine not personal but easy to remember so i guess it swings in round abouts Mine not personal but easy to remember so i guess it swings in round abouts

]]> By: Daglees http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-14861 Daglees Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:00:36 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-14861 I use Daglees, which is my last name. I use Daglees, which is my last name.

]]> By: James Dalman http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-14762 James Dalman Sat, 12 Jan 2008 18:04:52 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-14762 Naming your business is always a tough gig! Jack hit some great points here and there are so many pros and cons between using your own name versus a fictitious name that it can paralyze you from making a decision. Here is a few things I have learned from 20 years of being a freelancer and small business. 1. Determine who you want to do work for. "Of the wall" names work for bands, beer joints, and non-conservative businesses but if you want to do work for some corporate businesses, an off the wall name can keep you from getting work - though there ARE exceptions. 2. Are you happy with staying a small, one person operation or do you want to grow a business that can carry on when you want out or die? This can help you determine the direction for your name. I think generic names are more suitable if you want to sell your business or walk away from it down the road. And if you sell your actual name do you want to take the risk on another person ruining your reputation? 3. Make it easy to remember and pronounce. When I started 20 years ago, I started with Dogman Designs (based off a nickname) but I found out that many people had a hard time remembering it or they thought I made products for dogs. I used my last name for a while and it was also hard for people to spell. I finally chose Branding Shed because I could sell the business down the road, it was descriptive, and it was memorable. Plus it ties in with the Old West and branding so it worked all around. 4. Be happy with your choice. You gotta be sold on your business name whatever it is and being passionate it about it makes a difference to you and your clients. Naming your business is always a tough gig! Jack hit some great points here and there are so many pros and cons between using your own name versus a fictitious name that it can paralyze you from making a decision. Here is a few things I have learned from 20 years of being a freelancer and small business.

1. Determine who you want to do work for. “Of the wall” names work for bands, beer joints, and non-conservative businesses but if you want to do work for some corporate businesses, an off the wall name can keep you from getting work - though there ARE exceptions.

2. Are you happy with staying a small, one person operation or do you want to grow a business that can carry on when you want out or die? This can help you determine the direction for your name. I think generic names are more suitable if you want to sell your business or walk away from it down the road. And if you sell your actual name do you want to take the risk on another person ruining your reputation?

3. Make it easy to remember and pronounce. When I started 20 years ago, I started with Dogman Designs (based off a nickname) but I found out that many people had a hard time remembering it or they thought I made products for dogs. I used my last name for a while and it was also hard for people to spell. I finally chose Branding Shed because I could sell the business down the road, it was descriptive, and it was memorable. Plus it ties in with the Old West and branding so it worked all around.

4. Be happy with your choice. You gotta be sold on your business name whatever it is and being passionate it about it makes a difference to you and your clients.

]]> By: Tzaddi http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-14651 Tzaddi Fri, 11 Jan 2008 01:56:13 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-14651 Thanks for the article and good discussion. I've been obsessing over this lately, too. I know "Tzaddi" (my first name) is unique enough but it doesn't feel right somehow. Not inspiring me for the branding, either. Plus people are never sure how to say it. But, I've also felt it's strange when independents' communications seem like they are a big shop. Oh! The dichotomy! Thanks for the article and good discussion.

I’ve been obsessing over this lately, too. I know “Tzaddi” (my first name) is unique enough but it doesn’t feel right somehow. Not inspiring me for the branding, either. Plus people are never sure how to say it.

But, I’ve also felt it’s strange when independents’ communications seem like they are a big shop.

Oh! The dichotomy!

]]> By: Zeeshan http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-14613 Zeeshan Thu, 10 Jan 2008 07:07:39 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-14613 with your personal name you can save on taxes and need not to register it as all the checks come in your name which you can drop by into your bank ... with your personal name you can save on taxes and need not to register it as all the checks come in your name which you can drop by into your bank …

]]> By: thinkerpool.com: » 7 Things You Can Do TODAY to Kickstart Your Freelancing Career http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-14568 thinkerpool.com: » 7 Things You Can Do TODAY to Kickstart Your Freelancing Career Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:13:03 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/start/naming-your-freelancing-business-to-personalize-or-not-with-a-poll/#comment-14568 [...] One choice that you will need to make is whether your business name should include your own name in it. So for example mine might have been “Collis Ta’eed Design” or something like that. There are advantages and disadvantages either way, so you may wish to read more on Naming Your Freelancing Business - To Personalize or Not? [...] […] One choice that you will need to make is whether your business name should include your own name in it. So for example mine might have been “Collis Ta’eed Design” or something like that. There are advantages and disadvantages either way, so you may wish to read more on Naming Your Freelancing Business - To Personalize or Not? […]

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